Article: PKB Series & Tour Construction

PKBGT Series & Tour Construction

After growing to over 400 members, the 2014 tour structure will feature only a few changes to structure and schedule. Building upon our growth into new regions in 2013, the schedule will again feature our winter events in Georgia & South Carolina and new Mid-Atlantic events in the spring & summer. The items below will highlight changes for 2014 or items to make sure not to miss. We believe these small changes will allow the tour to continue to grow while identifying the specific needs of our different types of members and maximize the quality of opportunities for all our membership.

SERIES STRUCTURE – We have made some slight changes in the division and schedule construction for the Bell division to reflect the growth of tour participation. For 2014, the tour has split the traditional Bell Division into two series of events, the first the “Bell Series” and the “Prep Series”. The Futures Division will remain unchanged from 2013 and will feature over 30 events in the “Futures Series”. Each Series will have a series-long points system which will earn players exemptions into future events which I will cover in a future article. The Bell Division series will run from November to May and will conclude with the Bell Open Championships at CC of Salisbury Memorial Day weekend. The scoring requirements for the Bell Division have been lowered slightly, with all past Bell Division players grandfathered in to the 2014 season. The new Bell Division – Prep Series will be offered from May – September and will offer all Bell Division players and additional High School aged aspiring collegiate players the chance to compete from 5,600 – 6,000 yards during the summer months. Futures Division players who would like to play longer yardages during the summer events can earn entry into Prep Division events by their play during the tour season. See the specific division guidelines at www.pkbgt.org/about.php#divisions.

COLLEGIATE COURSES – In 2014, 15 golf courses which are home to collegiate teams are on the schedule so far providing PKBGT players the chance to pair their tournament with a college tour or coach visit. The collegiate courses at UNC Chapel Hill, Clemson, NC State, USC, Coastal Carolina and Furman again lead the Winter/Spring schedule with additional new events at UVA, East Carolina & Winthrop. The opportunity to play these collegiate venues at collegiate yardages is a great barometer for players and the coaches evaluating them. See the schedule at http://www.pkbgt.org/schedule.php#upcoming.

PKBGT CHAMPIONSHIPS, NEW MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP – The national events on the PKBGT, the PKBGT Championships feature the top fields and ranking points of all PKBGT events. With new rankings partnership to be covered in next week’s article, the value and exposure of these events are on the rise! The 2014 Championships schedule mirrors 2013 with the addition of a new Match Play Championship to be held at Lakeview GC in Harrisonburg, Virginia in early July. Again in 2014, the Top-3 finishers in the Bell/Prep Division will be awarded PKBGT Gold, Silver & Bronze jewelry pendants. See the PKBGT CHAMPIONSHIP schedule at http://www.pkbgt.org/schedule.php?code=C.

MID-ATLANTIC SERIES – With nearly 25% of the membership hailing from the Mid-Atlantic region, the tour will again offer a Mid-Atlantic Series points race to name the top Bell/Prep player in the region. The Mid-Atlantic Series winner will receive an automatic invitation into the 2014 PKBGT Invitational. See the Mid-Atlantic schedule at http://www.pkbgt.org/schedule.php?code=M.

EVENT REGISTRATION INFORMATION – Here are the 2014 updates for tournament registration:

1. EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS: Players registering more than 45 days in advance for a classic or 30 days in advance of an open tournament will receive a $10 discount off the entry fee.
2. CLOSING DATES: The close date for PKBGT Championships will be 19 days prior to the start of the event, Classic events 12 days and Open Series events 5 days. If the event is not a priority based entry event, fields are open till the maximum amounts of entries are received. A waiting list will be kept for all events. Priority for waiting lists will be based on national ranking and/or current year tour standing and will be determined by the tournament committee.
3. CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT PRIORITY: Championships will again use a priority based entry system. All players can register for the tournament and will be placed on a waiting list. At the closing deadline, the tournament committee will select the top Bell, Prep and/or Futures Division players to the field to complete the field size for each division.
4. CHAMPIONSHIPS & CLASSIC EVENTS SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS: In the Bell & Prep Division, all Championship & Classic events will feature 5 Sponsor Exemptions.
5. LATE ENTRY FEE: A $20 late entry fee will be charged to any player registering after the closing deadline. This will only be allowed when tournament spots are still available.
6. WITHDRAW POLICY: Please see the Tour Withdrawal Policy for details and procedure on withdrawing from events. A $20 late withdrawal fee will be charged for players pulling out of an event after the closing date. No fee will be charged for withdrawals before the closing date. Entry fee will be forfeited if having to withdraw from an event after tee times has been set.